The Dawson County Lady Tigers pulled an impressive win last
week against region rival Union County. Winning 54-42 against the Lady
Panthers, the Lady Tigers are now 2-3 in region competition with more region
games to come.

The Tiger defense was critical for their win during the Jan.
9 competition. Head Coach Steve Sweat said he was really impressed with his
team’s defensive play, especially during the second half.

“I thought we played really good,” Sweat said. “We played a
really good second half. We turned up the heat on defense.”

Junior Kaylee Sticker fights for the ball during a heated moment during the third quarter of the Union County game.
- photo by Jessica Taylor

The girls’ highest scoring quarter of the game was the
third, which is not often the case as Sweat said the team can sometimes
struggle with momentum after the half.

“Union County is pretty much a rival for us, and it is also a
region game that adds fuel to the fire,” said Sweat.

Sophomore Sophia d’Oliveira reaches for a rebound in a defensive play for the Lady Tigers during the Jan. 9 match against the Lady Panthers.
- photo by Jessica Taylor

The Lady Tigers were able to get the lead early and keep it
throughout the game. Junior Anna Lowe played well on the inside, scoring 12
points. Abi Chatham, Sophia D'Oliveira, and Cadey Ayers all had eight points
each while Kaylee Sticker and Chloe Bennett scored six and Kati Brady and Calli
Watson scored three.

“Any win is a good win but a region win is even more
special,” said Sweat.

With another region win under their belt, the Lady Tigers
will face big competition this week as they face Greater Atlanta Christian and
Lumpkin County.

The Lady Tigers were scheduled to travel to Norcross Tuesday
to play GAC, but the game was cancelled due to the threat of inclement weather,
according to Sweat. The game has yet to be rescheduled.

On Thursday, Dawson County is still scheduled to host the
GAC game that was cancelled in December due to snow.

Greater Atlanta Christian will be a challenge for the Lady
Tigers, who have been practicing against the pressure this week in anticipation
for the game. Sweat said the girls will need to have the intensity they showed
during the Union County game to have a successful match.

“It’s going to be hard because they are a really good team,”
said Sweat. “They play with a lot of intensity and use that to their favor.”

In order to combat the GAC intensity, Sweat has put more players
on defense than offense, which he hopes will be enough to combat the Lady
Spartans.

“If we can keep it close we have a good shot,” said Sweat.

Dawson County is also hosting its homecoming game Friday
night against rival Lumpkin County. The Lady Tigers, who lost to Lumpkin Dec.
12, are looking for redemption with a home win.

“We lost at their place and the best way to even it out is
to win at your place,” Sweat said.

The games on Thursday and Friday will begin at 6 p.m. with
the varsity boys game following at 7:30 p.m.